05/18/06

The Red Hawks scored four runs in the first inning and then added three more in the fourth to take a 7-6 lead. Bob Abel added a two-run homer in the fifth and Eric Schwendimann and Bo Johnson each homered in a five-run eighth inning as the Red Hawks won their 12th straight game and improved to 33-5 for the season in a game that ended at 12:07 a.m. Ripon, the regional's top seed, also earned a day off in the tournament and will face either St. Olaf or Coe on Friday at noon.

St. Scholastica, which played for the second time in the day, fell to 37-5 overall and will play either St. Thomas or Dominican on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

After St. Scholastica's Steve Krauschaar hit a two-run double in the top of the first inning, Ripon rallied with four runs on four hits in the bottom of the first. The Saints added a run on a Brandon Swartz groundout in the second and then took the lead on an unusual play in the fourth. With runners at first and second with two outs, Keith Ritsche hit a double to the left center field gap, scoring the runner from second. After the relay throw to the plate, Ripon catcher Schwendimann attempted to throw out the runner at third base, but the throw sailed into left field, allowing even Ritsche to score for a 6-4 lead.

Ripon wasted no time taking the lead back, getting three runs with the benefit of two St. Scholastica errors in the bottom of the fourth. Tyler Haddock's run-scoring single broke the tie and put the Red Hawks ahead for good.

Haddock earned the win despite allowing eight runs over five and one-third innings. Greg Basthemer provided three scoreless innings of relief to earn the save. Ritsche took the loss for the Saints as both starting pitchers were hurt by defenses that combined for eight errors. Five St. Scholastica errors led to seven unearned runs, while three Ripon errors provided the Saints with four unearned tallies.